Earth Day turned 53 years old on Saturday and a huge Clark Fork River cleanup was held in Missoula, which is appreciated very much by those living downstream.

Motorists on I-90 could see the Mineral County Shooting Sports Association members picking up litter near the Quartz/Lozeau exit near their range.

The Mineral County Fairgrounds might have been a day late, but there were just under 20 people that donned gloves, hats and brought rakes to work on the needles and pinecones on Sunday.

“What we’re hoping to do today is get a head start on everything that needs to be done,” said AnnaMarie White. “We’re going to do big trash items that may have been left behind from last year that will be taken to the transfer station. And for the needles and pinecones, we are piling them up to either burn or the county said that they would pick it up and take it away for us.”

White, Mary Jo Berry and Ken Quit, all members of the County Fair Board, were raking and hauling and visiting with other volunteers as the morning cleanup went until 1 p.m., with a noon grilling of hot dogs, Oreos and pickles for everyone who had helped.

This was also a service day for the Juilttes Girl Scouts of Mineral County. To instill the spirit of volunteering and community cohesiveness, they have a project each month that involves helping others with no expectations of payment.

And for April, it was Earth Day Clean Up at the fairgrounds. The timing of the day dovetailed with the 4-H hog weigh in at 1 so White was planning to snag of few to help with the loading of the debris. (It appears that there will be 23 hogs for auction during the Mineral County Fair).

One of the volunteers was an exchange student from Germany who is living with the Acker family in Alberton for the school year. Christian Maertens is a junior and said this was new to him.

“I’m not really doing volunteer work in Germany. There are a few who do though in the city.”

When asked what he thought of the day, he said, “I think it’s pretty cool. I’m not really 100% sure what it’s for, but it feels good to do something as volunteering.”

The weather cooperated with very little wind and mostly sunny skies which made everyone enjoy themselves as the Mineral County Fairgrounds prepares for 2023 activities.